Ola cab snatched at gunpoint in Chandigarh

In second carjacking case within six days in Chandigarh, four armed men took away an Ola cab forcibly at Sector 54 in wee hours of Wednesday.

Rajdeep Singh, 24, of Kharar was on his way back after dropping a passenger at the Sector-17 bus terminus when a white Maruti Swift Dzire hit his Hyundai i20 from the rear near the furniture market in Sector 54 around 3:30am.

Rajdeep told police that when he slowed down, the other car drove parallel to him and its occupants told him that his vehicle had been badly damaged. When he stepped out, one of the men got into his car pointing a gun at him.

“When I tried to pull out my car keys, two other stepped out of the other car holding a gun and knife. They threatened to kill me if I did not step back,” said Rajdeep. “They spoke in Punjabi and hurled abuses at me.”

When Rajdeep stepped back, the trio drove away in his car while the other car also fled. One of the men was turbaned and in his mid-40s, he said.

Victim’s phone traced to Kurali

Cops investigating the case said the accused who drove away with the i20 had crossed over to Punjab. They crossed the Kurali toll plaza and even paid two-way toll for both vehicles, said police.

The cell tower location of Rajdeep’s mobile phone, which was in the vehicle, was last traced to Kurali, after which it was switched off.

Police said the registration number (HR 26A 5251) on the accused’s car was fake.

“We have registered a case under Section 392 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Arms Act,” said inspector Naseeb Singh, station house officer (SHO), Sector 36.

On March 16, an Abohar agriculturist’s car was snatched at gunpoint by three car-borne men at Sector 35 around 2:30am.

‘Was never this scary to drive at night’

Rajdeep, 24, has been driving cab for the past three years and has operated at night many times. The vehicle that was snatched is owned by his father. Both Rajdeep and his brother drive it. “We have been driving in the tricity without fear for so many years. I was never afraid working at night,” said Rajdeep. “But now things have got scary. After the carjacking my family doesn’t want me to drive cab at night.”

Suspicion on Jodha again

Police suspect the crime to be the work of Yodha Singh, alias Jodha, 24. His gang had employed a similar modus operandi while robbing a cab on the road separating Sectors 45 and 33 around 2am on December 17. A notorious criminal, Jodha was involved in at least two other carjackings and robberies at gunpoint the same month. He finally fell in the UT police net on January 6, but escaped while being brought back from a court hearing in Faridkot on February 6.

Recent cases

■ March 16, 2018: An Abohar agriculturist’s car snatched at gunpoint by three car-borne men at Sector 35 around 2:30am

■ Feb 26: A Sector-26 eatery manager kidnapped and robbed of ₹10,700 at gunpoint by two car-borne men around 12:40am

■ Feb 21: Gurdev Studio owner’s son kidnapped in his own Mercedes and dumped at Elante Mall after being made to pay Rs 3-lakh ransom